Seasoning Fire Wood

Fergienewbee · Aug 27, 2014

I've been cutting a couple of trees that came down a couple of years ago. The outer edges are dead, but the inside seems to have some moisture still. Now that it's split and stacked will it dry out enough to burn this winter? I'm thinking January and February. It's just a free-standing stove not an outdoor burner.

Larry

Bob Harvey · Aug 27, 2014

Old rule/theory ; Cut in the spring, burn in the fall. That is split and stacked by the way. I no longer cut/fell my own wood (too lazy and plumb wore out), but I do buy in the spring and split (electric splitter) and stack 'et voila !' I have 4 cords 'ready to use' every year in the wood shed. HTH

Cooter143 · Aug 27, 2014

If you stack it so air can circulate through, and it gets sun then it should be ready to burn. But, it also depends on how thin you split it. I just cut up a white oak that I will burn this year, but I will let it sit out for a while before I put it up.

Alberta Bill · Aug 27, 2014

I cut mine Spring, Summer, and Fall. The season always has some left over, Thats the first to go then the stuff from spring, Summer and so on. I cut, split, and stack all. This is done all at the time I get the wood. I have been know for getting lots of wood in the pile. I would guess that Last Years and the Spring Cutting get me through most of the heating season. I hope this helps.

Fergienewbee · Aug 27, 2014

Cooter143;

I have been splitting it quite a bit smaller than the stove will take. I have some wood left from last year, maybe 1/3 of what I need, and still lots of dead trees and limbs to work on. I'll be way ahead for next year and might even have some to sell. Would sure like to pay for my splitter with wood.

Larry

Bob in SD · Aug 27, 2014

Trying to figure out a way to not move the wood so much. I split and stack in the field, the move it into the woodshed before the snow flies. If I had a bigger shed, I"m guessing it still dries better out in the air and sun.

So, it"s drag it up near the shed. Hopefully there is some left from last year in the field, move that into the shed to make room. Then split what I cut this year and stack it in the field.

Lather, rinse, repeat.

Any suggestions?

Russ from MN · Aug 27, 2014

I have read that the shorter you cut it the faster it drts and that makes sense. diferent woods dry at different rates, the more dense like oak dry much slower than cedar for example. You are right to split it smaller, that speeds it up. My uncle always cut his wood one winter ahead, and split and stacked it in the spring for the following winter. Processing firewood is not something to do in hot weather. I hope to cut a little after I shoot a deer in November. I built a wood shed this spring and it is open around the bottom and vented at the top. Wood moisture testers are not to expensive, I have one. High efficiency stoves work best with very dry wood, so that is my goal.

Billy NY · Aug 27, 2014

I would think it would, (no pun intended LOL!) What species is it ? Elm seems to dry down relatively quick, I've processed all kinds of that, with a little punk in it, to fresh or dying or just died, small and large chunks, stacked and top covered, dried in a couple of months, some moisture here and there, but that stuff is notorious for holding lots of water.

Black cherry with the sap wood, even if punked, will dry quickly if stacked, I deal with a lot of that and fresh stuff as well, larger chunks take longer, but it will check up quickly.

I think you are ahead by open air stacking, and a cover on top.

I have 3 cord of small diameter, logs in my driveway right now, same thing been down awhile, but once processed this week, it'll be plenty dry when it gets cold.

I split a cord of fresh elm last September 27th, single stacked it high, put a cover on the top, it dried nicely, I could burn it by mid December. I think a symmetrical stack works the best for dry down, not to worry, you'll more than likely be fine with what you have.

Cooter143 · Aug 27, 2014

Bob, my system isn't much better than yours, but I do try to limit how much I handle it. If it is in a dry spot, I will cut and split and leave it there. I will add it to the wood shed as i burn and make room.

Dave H (MI) · Aug 27, 2014

If they came down a couple of years ago they most likely contain moisture from rot, not the sort that I normally think of when seasoning wood. Others may differ but that type of moisture can make the difference between a blazing fire or a smudge fire. It may not season out like live wood moisture because the log continues to rot. Split it and it should though. I burn that kind of wood all the time. I have tons of it...ash.

Stubborn Dutchman · Aug 27, 2014

Consider getting a moisture meeter. Measure a fresh split and see what you get. 20% or less is most desirable for getting max BTU"s out of your wood. Higher percentages loose BTU"s creating steam and wasting money and effort! Modern EPA stoves depend on dry wood to function properly.

Paul from MI · Aug 27, 2014

Been cutting up tops for the last few years. They don't really dry much until you cut into firewood lengths and split. Probably would be OK to burn by the next fall, but I'm a couple of years ahead and it's all under roof so it's super dry. Very little creosote and only need to clean the chimney once during the winter.

Spook · Aug 27, 2014

Nice job on the shed. How did you get the bow in the rafters? I'd like to build one like that.

RodinNS · Aug 28, 2014

If the tree has been dead (no leaves) for two years, split it and go. It's dry already. If the tree was still living... then you can expect to burn this stuff in a year... or with a lot of creosote this winter. Air tight stoves generally do not burn green wood very well but something of an older vintage will probably be fine...

Rod

D beatty · Aug 28, 2014

I cut split and put mine on 3 hay racks & 1 traier and each hold a cord and I tarp them. I pull them up by back door when needed . I keep 2 rank to a cord stacked in basement.

Russ from MN · Aug 28, 2014

I sawed a 16 foot radius in a 2x6 and then inverted the pieces. Then I cut the same shape out of a piece of OSB and glued and screwed it all together. It's how they used to make rafters for quonsets, without the OSB. On ours built in 57 there were 3 layers with the ends staggered, all 8 foot 1X6's

Traditional Farmer · Aug 28, 2014

Even air 'dry' firewood usually has about 20% moisture if stored outside.I usually bring the wood in to the area in the basement where my stove is located and stack it in two different racks I have there for a few days it gets a nice final drying before burning.Its surprising how much moisture is in a stick of wood as I have weighed the wood before drying and after it'll loose a couple lbs easily
and thats a quart of water.

randallinMo · Aug 28, 2014

Russ, I just can't wrap my mind around what you mean by "sawed a 16 foot radius in a 2x6". Can you explain that?

redforlife · Aug 28, 2014

Cut your fire wood trees down in late winter. Less sap in the wood. Be better to cut up and split sooner than later but not all that important. Should season or age it a year after being cut down. After that it doesn't matter if it is like 1 year or 2 or 3. Be a good idea to store under a roof for atleast a short while ahead of burning to have the rain water moisture dried out of it. But that is not really the point of seasoning. A fresh cut tree is considered to be green, and that is what you want to season out of it. Alot of green wood won't burn good at all.

Anonymous-0 · Aug 28, 2014

(quoted from post at 11:03:42 08/28/14) Russ, I just can't wrap my mind around what you mean by "sawed a 16 foot radius in a 2x6". Can you explain that?

This makes two of us.

Russ from MN · Aug 28, 2014

If you look carefully at the end rafter you can see a straight seam, that was the edges of a 8 foot treated 2X6. A 16 foot radius is the curve, the top and bottom, that is the smallest radius that I could cut in a 8 foot 2X6. I have made a lot of small building (deer stands, fish houses) rafters like this and they are very strong, 2X4 for 6 foot span and 2X6 for 8 foot span. The front of this wood shed is a couple of inches higher than the back so any water that hits the very top runs off the back. I kind of copied the roofs that Menards have in there parking lots to put your shopping cart in.

D beatty · Aug 28, 2014

You can get wood to dry to. I bought a number of years ago 2 cord of oak and hard maple that was stacked in a barn for over 5 years. It was stacked so air circulated through barn. It was so dry it burnt to fast. I find one year open air dried with cover top burns the best.

redforlife · Aug 29, 2014

Ya, 1 year seasoned would probly be the best. As far as going longer, it would probly be better than not going long enough. Being on the green side is what really needs to be avoided. Most people probly fall into the not long enough catagory because they don't cut a years worth a year ahead of time. Some people burn right off the chain saw. You rarely see someone with 5 years worth cut. Lesser quality wood will start to go to pot keeping it that long too. Especially if kept outside.

Seasoning Fire Wood

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